Former Trump Adviser: Putin May Have Overplayed His Hand in Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

Cailian Press, May 12 — John Bolton, former U.S. National Security Advisor, said over the weekend that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have gone "a bit too far" in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

Bolton, who served during the “Trump 1.0” administration and is now a vocal critic of Trump, said in a recent interview that while Russia remains economically impacted by sanctions from Europe and the U.S., Putin still holds a “very strong” political position.

“But I believe that as the war drags on, Putin’s position will weaken. The real question is whether that will happen after all the ceasefire efforts by the U.S. and Europe,” Bolton added.

“Putin has already gained quite a few concessions on what he wants. He wants to retain the territory Russia has occupied in Ukraine… but I think he may be at risk of overplaying his hand, especially in front of Trump,” he warned.

On May 11, Putin held a press conference in the Kremlin and proposed that the Ukrainian government come to Istanbul by May 15 to restart peace talks that broke down in April 2022, aiming to negotiate a ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Zelensky responded on Sunday, saying he is ready to meet Putin in Turkey on Thursday.

In recent days, Ukraine and its European allies—France, Germany, the UK, and Poland—have increased pressure on Russia to accept a 30-day ceasefire agreement starting as early as next week.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Saturday: “Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full and unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and sea from Monday for at least 30 days. If Russia agrees and ensures effective monitoring, it can pave the way for peace talks.”

Is Russia Demanding Too Much?

President Trump is also pushing for a temporary truce agreement between the two countries, but so far, only Ukraine has backed the plan. Trump warned that if no deal is reached, Russia could face further sanctions. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also warned that if no progress is made in talks, the U.S. might pull out of its mediating role.

Vance stated last Wednesday that the Trump administration believes “Russia is asking for too much” in the peace negotiations. Trump later commented that Vance might be right.

“I’m not saying Russia doesn’t want a resolution,” Vance noted, “but they are demanding some very specific concessions to end the conflict. We believe those demands are excessive.”

While it's unclear what exactly is meant by “too much,” Bolton suggested that Putin should accept a ceasefire to give Russia time to rearm.

“We’ve heard interesting remarks from Trump and J.D. Vance, saying the Russians are asking too much. It’s unclear what they mean exactly, but Putin is in one of the best positions. I keep wondering why he doesn’t use the ceasefire. The Russians need it badly to rebuild their forces,” he added.